Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Chrysanthemumxc3x97morifolium cultivar Yofabienne.
The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemumxc3x97morifolium and hereinafter referred to by the name xe2x80x98Yofabiennexe2x80x99.
The new Chrysanthemum is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Salinas, Calif. and Fort Myers, Fla. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact potted Chrysanthemum cultivars that are suitable for year-round production with uniform plant growth habit, good vigor, desirable inflorescence form and floret colors, fast response time, and good postproduction longevity.
The new Chrysanthemum originated from a cross made by the Inventor in May, 1997, in Salinas, Calif., of a proprietary Chrysanthemum seedling selection identified as code number YB-6500, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with the Chrysanthemum cultivar Chantal, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,516, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Chrysanthemum was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross grown in a controlled environment in Fort Myers, Fla. in March, 1998. The selection of this plant was based on its uniform plant growth habit, desirable inflorescence form and ray floret colors, fast response time, and excellent postproduction longevity.
Asexual reproduction of the new Chrysanthemum by vegetative tip cuttings was first conducted in Fort Myers, Fla. in July, 1998. Asexual reproduction by cuttings has shown that the unique features of this new Chrysanthemum are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.
The cultivar Yofabienne has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength, and/or light level, without, however, any variance in genotype.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Yofabiennexe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Yofabiennexe2x80x99 as a new and distinct Chrysanthemum:
1. Compact, uniform, upright and outwardly spreading plant habit.
2. Strong and freely branching growth habit.
3. Small dark green-colored foliage.
4. Uniform flowering habit.
5. Early flowering, 6.5-week response time.
6. Numerous small daisy-type inflorescences.
7. Red purple and white bi-colored ray florets.
8. Excellent postproduction longevity with plants maintaining good substance and color for about three to four weeks in an interior environment.
Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in ray floret coloration as plants of the new Chrysanthemum have red purple and white bi-colored ray florets whereas plants of the female parent selection have pink-colored ray florets. In addition, plants of the new Chrysanthemum flower about three to four days later than plants of the female parent selection.
Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ primarily from plants of the male parent, the cultivar Chantal, in ray floret coloration as plants of the new Chrysanthemum have red purple and white bi-colored ray florets whereas plants of the cultivar Chantal have white-colored ray florets. In addition, plants of the new Chrysanthemum flower about three or four days earlier than plants of the cultivar Chantal, and inflorescences of plants of the new Chrysanthemum do not produce pollen whereas inflorescences of plants of the cultivar Chantal produce pollen.
Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of the cultivar Dark Cherie, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,830. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Salinas, Calif., plants of the new Chrysanthemum differed from plants of the cultivar Dark Cherie in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flowered more uniformly than plants of the cultivar Dark Cherie.
2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flowered about 1.5 weeks earlier than plants of the cultivar Dark Cherie.
3. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum had smaller inflorescences than plants of the cultivar Dark Cherie.
4. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum had red purple and white bi-colored ray florets whereas plants of the cultivar Dark Cherie had pink-colored ray florets.